His All-Holiness '''Bartholomew I''' is the Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch of the [[Church of Constantinople]], and "first among equals" in Orthodox Christianity. He was enthroned on [[November 2]], 1991.

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He was born on Imvros, an island in the Aegean Sea belonging to Turkey. By citizenship he is Turkish, but belongs ethnically to the remnants of the Pontian Greek community that used to exist in the Black Sea Region of Turkey, before the exchange of Turks in Greece with Greeks in Turkey as required by the agreements signed by two countries.

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==Life==

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Dimitrios Archontonis was born on [[February 29]], 1940 in the village of Aghios Theodoros (Άγιος Θεόδωρος in Greek, Zeytinli Köyü in Turkish) on Imvros (now Gökçeada), an island in the Aegean Sea belonging to Turkey. He was the son Christos and Merope Archontóni. He is Turkish by citizenship, but belongs ethnically to the remnants of the Greek community that formally existed in Turkey, before the exchange of Turks who were in Greece with Greeks who were in Turkey under the provision of the Treaty of Lausanne that ended the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922.

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As [[Patriarch]], he has been particularly active internationally. One of his first focuses has been on rebuilding the once-persecuted Orthodox Churches of the former Eastern Bloc following the fall of Communism there in 1990. As part of this effort he has worked to strengthen ties amongst the various national Churches and Patriarchates of the [[Orthodox Church]]. He has also continued the reconciliation dialogues with the [[Roman Catholic Church]] started by his predecessors, and initiated dialogues with other faiths, including [[Christianity|Christian]], [[Islam|Muslim]], and [[Judaism|Jewish]] sects. He is sometimes accused of acting in an authoritarian, almost [[papacy|papal]] manner by some of his detractors, especially regarding his actions toward the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]].

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Dimitrios (Christou) Archontonis began his education in the village of Aghios Theodoros and continued at the Zographeion Lyceum in Istanbul. After graduation form the Lyceum, he entered the Patriarchal [[Theological School of Halki]], from which he graduated in 1961 with highest honors. From 1961 to 1963, Dimitrios served his military obligation with the Turkish army as a reserve officer. After his release from the army in 1963, Dimitrios continued his postgraduate education at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, Italy, the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey in Switzerland, and the Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich, Germany. He received his doctorate after completing his doctoral research in Canon Law at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome where he became a lecturer. In 1968, Dimitrios took a position as assistant dean at the Theological School of Halki.

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On [[August 13]], 1961, Dimitrios was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] as well as was given a [[monasticism|monastic]] [[tonsure]] with the name Bartholomew. On [[October 19]], 1969, Dn. Bartholomew was ordained a [[priest]]. In 1970, he was elevated to the rank of [[archimandrite]]. On [[December 25]], 1973, Fr, Bartholomew was consecrated [[Metropolitan]] of Philadelphia in Asia Minor. In 1974, he became a member of the [[Holy Synod]] of the Church of Constantinople. On [[January 14]], 1990, he was [[enthronement|enthroned]] Metropolitan of Chalcedon. On [[October 22]], 1991, Metr. Bartholomew was elected the 270th [[Archbishop]] of Constantinople, New Rome, and [[Ecumenical Patriarch]].

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As [[Patriarch]], he has been particularly active internationally. One of his first focuses has been on rebuilding the once-persecuted Orthodox Churches of Eastern Europe following the fall of Soviet Communism in 1989-91. As part of this effort he has worked to strengthen ties amongst the various national Churches and Patriarchates of the Orthodox Church. He has also continued the reconciliation dialogues with the [[Roman Catholic Church]] started by his predecessors, and initiated dialogues with other faiths, including [[Christianity|Christian]], [[Islam|Muslim]], and [[Judaism|Jewish]] sects. He is sometimes accused of acting in an authoritarian, almost [[papacy|papal]] manner by some of his detractors, especially regarding his actions toward the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]].

Perhaps most unusually, he has gained a reputation as a prominent environmentalist, putting the support of the Patriarchate behind various international environmental causes.

Perhaps most unusually, he has gained a reputation as a prominent environmentalist, putting the support of the Patriarchate behind various international environmental causes.

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==Titles==

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The official title of the Ecumenical Patriarch is:

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'''His All Holiness, Bartholomew I, Archbishop of Constantinople New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch''';

* Bartholomew I (Ecumenical Patriarch), [[John Chryssavgis]]. ''[http://search.barnesandnoble.com/In-the-World-yet-Not-of-the-World/Ecumenical-Patriarch-Bartholomew/e/9780823231713/?itm=3 In the World, Yet Not of the World: Social and Global Initiatives of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew].'' Fordham University Press, November 2009. 300 pp. ISBN 9780823231713

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{{start box}}

{{start box}}

{{succession|

{{succession|

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before=?|

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before=Iakovos|

title=Metropolitan of Philadelphia|

title=Metropolitan of Philadelphia|

years=1973-1990|

years=1973-1990|

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title=Metropolitan of Chalcedon|

title=Metropolitan of Chalcedon|

years=1990-1991|

years=1990-1991|

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after=Joachim (Neradjoulis)}}

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after=[[Joachim (Neradjoulis) of Chalcedon|Joachim (Neradjoulis)]]}}

{{succession|

{{succession|

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before=Demetrios I|

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before=[[Demetrius I (Papadopoulos) of Constantinople|Demetrius I (Papadopoulos)]]|

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title=[[Church of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]]|

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title=[[List of Patriarchs of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]]|

years=1991-present|

years=1991-present|

after=&mdash;}}

after=&mdash;}}

{{end box}}

{{end box}}

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==Sources==

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*[http://www.patriarchate.org/patriarch/biography Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch]

Latest revision as of 13:10, December 20, 2012

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I

United States President Barack Obama meets with Bartholomew I.

His All-Holiness Bartholomew I is the Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch of the Church of Constantinople, and "first among equals" in Orthodox Christianity. He was enthroned on November 2, 1991.

Contents

Life

Dimitrios Archontonis was born on February 29, 1940 in the village of Aghios Theodoros (Άγιος Θεόδωρος in Greek, Zeytinli Köyü in Turkish) on Imvros (now Gökçeada), an island in the Aegean Sea belonging to Turkey. He was the son Christos and Merope Archontóni. He is Turkish by citizenship, but belongs ethnically to the remnants of the Greek community that formally existed in Turkey, before the exchange of Turks who were in Greece with Greeks who were in Turkey under the provision of the Treaty of Lausanne that ended the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922.

Dimitrios (Christou) Archontonis began his education in the village of Aghios Theodoros and continued at the Zographeion Lyceum in Istanbul. After graduation form the Lyceum, he entered the Patriarchal Theological School of Halki, from which he graduated in 1961 with highest honors. From 1961 to 1963, Dimitrios served his military obligation with the Turkish army as a reserve officer. After his release from the army in 1963, Dimitrios continued his postgraduate education at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, Italy, the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey in Switzerland, and the Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich, Germany. He received his doctorate after completing his doctoral research in Canon Law at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome where he became a lecturer. In 1968, Dimitrios took a position as assistant dean at the Theological School of Halki.

As Patriarch, he has been particularly active internationally. One of his first focuses has been on rebuilding the once-persecuted Orthodox Churches of Eastern Europe following the fall of Soviet Communism in 1989-91. As part of this effort he has worked to strengthen ties amongst the various national Churches and Patriarchates of the Orthodox Church. He has also continued the reconciliation dialogues with the Roman Catholic Church started by his predecessors, and initiated dialogues with other faiths, including Christian, Muslim, and Jewish sects. He is sometimes accused of acting in an authoritarian, almost papal manner by some of his detractors, especially regarding his actions toward the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

Perhaps most unusually, he has gained a reputation as a prominent environmentalist, putting the support of the Patriarchate behind various international environmental causes.

Titles

The official title of the Ecumenical Patriarch is:

His All Holiness, Bartholomew I, Archbishop of Constantinople New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch;